§ 17. Mr. C. S. Taylorasked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he has any statement to make about the continued unsatisfactory radio reception in South-East England; and what proposals the British Broadcasting Corporation has for improving the quality of the reception of both radio and television services in this area.
§ Mr. GammansI understand from the B.B.C. that in South-East England the Light Programme should be received satisfactorily on the long wavelength. The London Home Service is subject to interference from foreign stations and also to some fading in winter at places remote from the transmitter. The Third Programme is subject to fading and foreign interference in the coastal areas.
The B.B.C. has recently provided additional stations near Ramsgate, Hastings and Brighton to improve local reception of the Home Service. A transmitter will be brought into service soon at Folkestone. These temporary installations will be replaced by equipment of higher power to improve reception at some other places, including Eastbourne.
The foreign interference has been taken up with the authorities concerned.
The best hope for improved reception lies in the use of very high frequencies, but owing to defence and economic requirements I cannot forecast when this will be possible. For the same reasons I cannot say when it will be possible to improve television reception.